Nintendo Switch 2: Is It Worth Upgrading From the Original? I Tested Both.

Nintendo finally did it. After five years of rumors, the Switch 2 launched on June 19, 2026, and I was at my local GameStop at 8 a.m. to grab one. I’ve been a Switch owner since 2017—my original console is held together with duct tape and hope. So I was ready for an upgrade. But after playing the Switch 2 for five days straight, I have mixed feelings. Here’s my honest side-by-side comparison.

The Screen: A Huge Improvement

The original Switch had a 720p LCD screen that looked… fine. The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch OLED display with 1080p resolution and HDR support. The difference is immediate. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looked washed out on the old screen; on the Switch 2, the colors pop. The blacks are actually black, not gray. And the bezels are smaller, so the screen feels bigger without making the console much larger. If you play handheld mode a lot, this alone might be worth the upgrade.

Performance: Finally, 60 FPS

The original Switch capped most games at 30 frames per second. The Switch 2, thanks to a custom Nvidia Tegra T239 chip, can hit 60 FPS in many games. I tested Metroid Dread and Doom Eternal, and both were buttery smooth. No more dips during busy scenes. But—and this is a big but—not all games are optimized yet. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet still stutter in the overworld, even on the new hardware. That’s a software issue, not hardware, but it’s frustrating. Nintendo needs to patch old games.

The Joy-Cons: Finally Fixed?

The original Joy-Cons were notorious for drift. Nintendo even faced a class-action lawsuit. The Switch 2 has new Joy-Cons with “Hall effect” joysticks that use magnets instead of physical contacts. In theory, this eliminates drift. I’ve only used them for a few days, but they feel solid. No wobble, no sticking. The buttons are also bigger, which is great for my big thumbs. But they’re not backwards compatible with the old console. If you have a drawer full of old Joy-Cons, they won’t work on the Switch 2. That’s a bummer.

Backwards Compatibility: Yes, But With a Catch

You can play almost all your old Switch games on the Switch 2. I tested Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Animal Crossing, and they all ran fine. But they don’t get performance boosts unless the developers release a patch. So Breath of the Wild still runs at 30 FPS, which feels dated. Some games like The Witcher 3 have already announced free “Switch 2 Enhanced” patches, but many haven’t. Check your library before you upgrade.

Battery Life: Slightly Better

The original Switch (2017 model) got about 3-4 hours on a charge. The Switch 2 gets about 5-6 hours with the OLED screen and 8 hours if you turn down the brightness. That’s better, but not revolutionary. If you’re a long-haul traveler, you’ll still want a power bank. The charging port is now USB-C (finally), so you can use any modern charger. That’s a win.

Price: The Pain Point

The Switch 2 costs $399.99. That’s $100 more than the original Switch’s launch price. Is it worth it? If you don’t own a Switch at all, yes—it’s the definitive way to play Nintendo games. But if you already have a Switch from 2019 or later, I’d wait. The improvements are real, but they’re not dramatic enough to justify $400 plus the cost of new accessories. Wait for a price drop or a special edition. Or wait until more games get enhanced patches.

The Verdict

I’m keeping my Switch 2. The screen and performance upgrades make it a joy to play, and the new Joy-Cons feel like a genuine improvement. But I can’t recommend it to everyone. If you’re happy with your current Switch, don’t feel pressured. The games are the same. The magic is the same. The Switch 2 is just a better way to experience it. And that’s okay.